Three kids, same family, same team at the Arctic Winter Games

Abby and Jack have basketball bronze ulus. Isobel’s coming home with a futsal gold ulu. Not only are they on Team NT, they’re in the same family.

This year’s Arctic Winter Games featured various sets of NWT siblings on the team together. In a few instances, that extended to three children from the same family walking out at the opening and closing ceremonies.

The Nevitts are one such family.

“My brother, actually, he had always kind-of talked me into joining basketball,” said 17-year-old Abby Nevitt. Her female basketball team beat Alaska 65-38 for bronze, while 19-year-old brother Jack’s male team finished third after beating Nunavut 95-71.

Younger sister Isobel is, on results alone, the most successful Nevitt of the games. Her female juvenile futsal team went unbeaten in Fort McMurray this past week, conceding just one goal in five games and beating Yukon 5-0 for gold. Isobel scored three of the team’s 44 goals.

Abby said she feels inspired by her siblings, in a competitive yet supportive way that continuously pushes her to improve.

“When we’re watching each other’s games, we’re really supporting each other. But when we’re alone, we’re like, ‘No, I could beat you in a one-on-one,'” she joked.

Abby found having family members at the Arctic Winter Games grounding for her. It makes her feel more comfortable, she said: her brother is able to give her pointers on what to do, and she’s able to talk to her sister. 

“During my last game I was texting my brother at half time and I’m like, ‘I don’t know what to do. I’m getting frustrated.'”

“Having them here makes me want to play better,” said Jack.

“Being able to, while I’m playing, look in the crowd and see that my sisters are there cheering me on really makes me want to play better again.

“And being able to go into the cafeteria and see that both my sisters are here having a good time also. This is all of our first games together, so it’s a new experience. And It’s been really fun.”

Isobel, 13, began playing futsal – a form of indoor soccer – a few years ago. She said she feels inspired by her siblings and wants to enter more tournaments like them. 

Jack admitted he and Abby had a week-long rivalry based on which basketball team would win more games. It finished in a tie: each team won four.

Asked about that sibling rivalry, Isobel let out a little laugh. “In sports, I’d say my brother has done more tournaments … but in life, I’d say they’re both equal.”